USDA: Freezes Expected Down to the Central Gulf Coast

USDA's Joint Ag Weather Facilitysays on the Plains, dry weather favors late-season fieldwork, including cotton and sunflower harvesting. "Cold weather lingers across much of the region, with today’s low temperatures falling to near 0°F in the eastern Dakotas," USDA reports. However, mild air is overspreading the northern half of the High Plains, USDA adds.

In the West, USDA says mostly dry weather accompanies a warming trend. "Despite an increase in cloudiness, mild, dry weather favors a return to fieldwork in California and the Desert Southwest," USDA explains. Farther north, a few showers are just starting to overspread the Pacific Northwest, according to USDA.

In the Corn Belt, USDA reports cold weather prevails, while snow showers are confined to areas downwind of the Great Lakes. "This morning’s temperatures fell to 0°F as far south as northern Iowa," USDA adds.

In the South, USDA reports fieldwork remains on hold due to colder weather and lingering rain. "Rain has changed to snow in the southern Appalachians," USDA continues. However, the precipitation has also provided relief from dry conditions and benefited fall-sown crops, USDA explains. On Nov. 24, in advance of the storm system, USDA rated topsoil moisture 69% very short to short in South Carolina, along with 51% in Florida and 47% in Alabama and Georgia, according to USDA.

In its outlook, USDA says for the remainder of today, precipitation will gradually change from rain to snow before ending across the eastern U.S. "By Thanksgiving Day, dry weather will prevail nearly nationwide, with cold weather from the Plains to the East Coast contrasting with mild conditions in the West," USDA reports. Thanksgiving morning freezes can be expected as far south as the central Gulf Coast. Northern New England—as well as areas downwind of the Great Lakes—will experience some lingering snow on Nov. 28, according to USDA. "Mostly dry weather will continue through the weekend, except for some showers in the Northeast and Northwest, with mild air spreading as far east as the High Plains," USDA continues. Early next week, a surge of very cold air will arrive in the Northwest, USDA reports.